Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man just finished its first season during the Fall anime lineup, and it already has proven to be one of the most iconic anime of the new generation. With its success comes the fame of the show’s protagonist, Denji.
If you have watched the show, or read the manga, you’d know that it is in Denji’s nature to be crazy. He’s crazy about achieving his dreams (whether they are short-term or long-term) and crazy about hunting devils. Some even go as far as calling him deranged, and it’s probably safe to assume that he is. This is especially evident when he fights in chainsaw man form. His character and the series itself are dark and twisted, but there’s more than meets the eyes.
The recent chapter of the Chainsaw Man manga reveals that behind all that high hides a sweet side we have never seen before.
Spoiler Warning: The scenes which will be mentioned hereafter contain spoilers. If you don’t wish to proceed, it is best you turn back now.
Read More: Chainsaw Man Gets its First Live-Action Adaptation
If you’ve been following the manga, you’ll know what’s going on with the hero these days. Denji is currently out on a date with Asa, and their date is, predictably, a disaster from the start. When the Eternity Devil appears, things escalate from bad to worse for Asa. Due to the threat, the pair is trapped at the aquarium, and throughout their stay, we learn why Denji has been so money hungry recently.
No, it’s not so he can eat cake or play games. Denji is working to provide for his new sister since she deserves a better life.
“I’ve got this sorta friend, sorta little sister living with me. She’s smart enough to go to college. I’m saving up for her tuition. College is crazy expensive, right? See, my life was always crappy before. I want her to have a normal life,”
Denji, Chainsaw Man
Sister? What Sister? Denji is talking about the new or the reincarnation of the control devil–Makima’s Devil.
Fans will understand who Denji is referring to. By the end of Part One, the hero had killed Makima, but the Control Devil had been reborn. Denji has been tasked with parenting Nayuta in the hopes that she will not follow Makima’s path.
As a result, Denji has resolved to be the best brother imaginable, and he would provide for Nayuta at whatever cost. So, while Denji’s way of saving may be questionable at times, it’s difficult to deny how his empathy has evolved over time.
Seeing this trait show itself in Denji definitely calls for a celebration, but it’s also a little frightening because we don’t know what plans Fujimoto has for his character in the latter parts of the series.
What do you think about Denji’s character development?
Read More: Who Is Denji in Love With in Chainsaw Man?
